Do you need to use the Magical Express both ways?

[atp]

I'm staying at a Disney resort and I put in my flight info so I can use the Magical Express.

However, I decided to rent a car for a few days, and my only option was to pick up the car at the airport.

Would it be possible to not use the ME from the airport to the hotel and still be able to use to go back to the airport when I check out? Or would I lose my whole ME reservation if I don't use it to get to the hotel?

 

[gmeh1]

I'm staying at a Disney resort and I put in my flight info so I can use the Magical Express.

However, I decided to rent a car for a few days, and my only option was to pick up the car at the airport.

Would it be possible to not use the ME from the airport to the hotel and still be able to use to go back to the airport when I check out? Or would I lose my whole ME reservation if I don't use it to get to the hotel?

No, you don't have to use ME both ways, just inform them of your change of plans.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Disney's Magical Express can be booked one-way inbound, one-way outbound, or roundtrip. The choice is yours. If you already have a roundtrip DME reservation, I would recommend calling DME Guest Services at 866-599-0951 to modify your reservation.

However, I wonder why you wrote that your "only option was to pick up the car at the airport."

Renting and returning a car on or near WDW property can also be a good option, unless you need the car immediately upon landing: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2927109

 

[atp]

Thank you everyone, that is good to know. I will let them know that I won't be needing the transportation from the airport.

Disney's Magical Express can be booked one-way inbound, one-way outbound, or roundtrip. The choice is yours. If you already have a roundtrip DME reservation, I would recommend calling DME Guest Services at 866-599-0951 to modify your reservation.

However, I wonder why you wrote that your "only option was to pick up the car at the airport."

Renting and returning a car on or near WDW property can also be a good option, unless you need the car immediately upon landing: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2927109

I rented the car through a travel agency in my country that had a very good deal and more coverage than I would be able to get renting directly from Alamo. However, they only work with the Alamo at the Orlando airport. Though I will try returning the car at the Dolphin resort, if they let me. I was told I might be charged extra for that.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thank you everyone, that is good to know. I will let them know that I won't be needing the transportation from the airport.

I rented the car through a travel agency in my country that had a very good deal and more coverage than I would be able to get renting directly from Alamo. However, they only work with the Alamo at the Orlando airport. Though I will try returning the car at the Dolphin resort, if they let me. I was told I might be charged extra for that.

If you have a pre-paid car rental for Orlando International Airport only, arranged through a travel agency, chances are you will have to return the car to the airport.

If you need to return your car at the airport, you can use inbound DME to get back to your resort at WDW. You can do this even if you've already checked in at your a WDW resort a few days earlier. The people who designed DME knew that guests staying in the same room sometimes arrive on different days. This works to your advantage. I've done this when I had to return a car to the airport a few days after checking in.

For this to work, you must have a DME reservation for the day that you want the inbound trip. They only need the approximate time you want to go. However, sometimes, it's easier to have a flight associated with your inbound reservation, even if your won't actually be on that flight. It's not cheating. DME is a function of your WDW resort stay, not of your airline flights.

Call DME Guest Services at 866-599-0951 to modify the inbound part of your DME reservation. I would do this in any case, unless your travel agency can officially change the return location for your car to the Dolphin.

 

[atp]

If you have a pre-paid car rental for Orlando International Airport only, arranged through a travel agency, chances are you will have to return the car to the airport.

If you need to return your car at the airport, you can use inbound DME to get back to your resort at WDW. You can do this even if you've already checked in at your a WDW resort a few days earlier. The people who designed DME knew that guests staying in the same room sometimes arrive on different days. This works to your advantage. I've done this when I had to return a car to the airport a few days after checking in.

For this to work, you must have a DME reservation for the day that you want the inbound trip. They only need the approximate time you want to go. However, sometimes, it's easier to have a flight associated with your inbound reservation, even if your won't actually be on that flight. It's not cheating. DME is a function of your WDW resort stay, not of your airline flights.

Call DME Guest Services at 866-599-0951 to modify the inbound part of your DME reservation. I would do this in any case, unless your travel agency can officially change the return location for your car to the Dolphin.

Wow! Thank you SO much for this tip! I'm going to try calling them and see if that can be arranged. I'm just a little concerned they might say no since I'll be checking in a week earlier. I'm going to try it anyway, much better than taking a bus like I was originally planning if returning it at the Dolphin wasn't possible.

The travel agency said they can't change anything because the only location available to them is the airport and they showed me the options on their computer and it was sadly the only one available. I think I will try e-mailing Alamo to see if it's possible to return it there and if not, I will call Disney and see if they can change the dates for the ME.

Thanks again for the tip!